Molly Shannon

This was an audiobook experience like no other. Molly's storytelling is so lively and heartfelt, she had me laughing and tearing up. It begins with an intensely traumatic event and candidly explores how it shaped her life, especially her relationship and boundaries with her father. While there are glimpses into her big career moments, the real heart of this memoir transcends the typical celebrity memoir. Molly’s sincerity and enthusiasm are infectious, and her voice brings a warmth that show more makes it perfect for audio. Each listen felt so joyous, making me want to spend more time with loved ones. I highly recommend this as an audiobook since the delivery is everything. show less

Shannon shows herself to be a good Irish Catholic girl with a charming Irish Catholic alcoholic father. She possesses 3 qualities I'll never have - optimism, extroversion, and the ability to forgive. I've never really forgiven the charming alcoholics in my family yet she, who has much more to forgive, adores her father. She's also driven and competent like Heather Gay (who wrote Bad Mormon) but not so driven financially. You can believe she loves her family. You can believe she lives a real show more life, not a plastic one show less

I have been a fan of Molly Shannon from the first time I saw her on SNL. I knew she was going to be something, and boy was I right. She is one of those comedians that you can tell truly enjoys her job, her talent evident from the get-go.

The tragedy that Molly has endured in her relatively short life is heartbreaking, but her take on her loss is refreshing. It’s obvious she is one of those people that sees the sunny side of life, and for me that is so refreshing! I too tend to see the glass show more half full, so it was nice to find a kindred spirit in someone that I have admired for a long time.

To say that I enjoyed this book is an understatement, especially listening to the audiobook, hearing Molly tell the story in her own unique and personable voice. It’s obvious she is a natural-born performer, and I loved every moment, especially as she reminisced about her time at SNL, and all the memorable characters that came from her experience there.

If I didn’t love Molly Shannon before I absolutely adore and respect her even more now! This is hands down a must-read for me and if you can listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend, as it makes the Molly’s story all the sweeter. show less

Her story begins with tragedy: when Molly Shannon was four years old, her father was driving the family station wagon home late at night when he crashed into a light pole. Molly's mother, cousin, and younger sister were killed in the crash, and her father was gravely injured. Molly and her older sister Mary, who were in the back of the car, were less severely injured. Molly recounts stories of her childhood, growing up motherless in the care of a loving but erratic father, and her journey to show more a career as an actress and comedian working on Saturday Night Live.

I generally enjoy memoirs by funny women, and this was no exception. I hadn't seen any of her work on SNL before reading this book, but I did take a break from reading to watch some clips of her Mary Katherine Gallagher sketches. Shannon comes across in this book as a bubbly, genuinely friendly person. I'm glad to have gotten to know her a little through this book. show less